So I've been reading several knitting blogs over the past week. And I started to get a bit discouraged. So many knitters seem to finish so many projects so quickly. I don't consider myself that slow, although I know keeping the yarn in my right hand is a bit slower.
But then as I read on, I found out that some of the bloggers don't have a job outside of the home. Granted being a mommy is a tough and time-consuming job, but I certainly see how can you sneak in a few more rows each day than those of us who have to report to other types of jobs. One lady in particular seemed to have somewhere around 7 hours each day to knit! Besides the fact that I don't know how her hands and shoulders could withstand that many hours,(maybe lots of breaks) she certainly could complete lots of projects at that rate. But then she mentioned she had a housekeeper! Well, can you imagine? Being able to stay home with your child or children and having a housekeeper.
I started to feel a bit better about my progress.
And then I read something else. One blogger reported that there are mistakes in her work. No I'm not saying that I knit perfectly, but it got me to thinking - perhaps for some it's about quantity and not quality. I usually have only one project on the needles and work on it until I'm done. I take care to not drop stitches and to correct pattern mistakes. I recently tried to have multiple projects going as I am sure you have read, but I think as I finish them I'll just continue to keep one, maybe two, going at the same time.
So perhaps it comes down to this? The nicest part about knitting, is that there are no rules. Well sure there are instructions for making patterns, but some may take those instructions as suggestions. Maybe that's why knitting is popular. It's okay to change the colour, to substitute the yarn, to alter the pattern, to be perfect or imperfect. Maybe in a world with so many restrictions and rules, that the joy of knitting comes more from our freedom than the actual process?
3 comments:
I liked what you had to say here. I'm very much a recreational knitter (and crocheter), and only work at it during evening TV watching. Plus, I've only just picked up the needles again after about 25 years. I NEED a pattern to follow and I'll only make changes if I'm 100% confident. Even still I probably rip apart and restart an item about 4 times before I'm happy. So, my projects take a long time.
Yay! Good for you. Besides they say "love is in the details" so I am sure when your husband wears the lovely sweater's you knit or crochet for him, he will know how much time you spent and how much care you took to make it 'just so'
Keep up the good work.
Comparing just your speed to someone elses speed is not healthy. Such comparisons can be useful only if done with great care. In business it is called "benchmarking." BUT the key is to make sure other things are equal (ceteris paribus). The great downside of the Internet and thus blogs is you have access to a large part of the world. And that means it highly likely that you will encounter the extremes of everything.
Be cautious in your comparisons. good that you went further in your research as you described later in your post.
bye
UnderThere
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